The MAIR model: a non-linear approach to business start-ups

As an entrepreneur and someone whose business involves working with entrepreneurs, I am always interested in different models of business creation, and an article I read recently reminded me of the MAIR Model. I first came across this when I was doing a Master of Entrepreneurship at the University of Stirling in 1995, and have used it quite a bit since then to train both consultants and entrepreneurs, both in my work with support organizations and in my consulting. with Eriskay Associates. Since then it seems to have come in and gone a bit out of style, but I like it for its logical simplicity and the fact that it is not linear (i.e. step one, step two, step 3 …)

The basic idea is that you explore four ‘interactive variables’: motivation, skills, ideas and resources. Clearly, each has a critical role to play in their own right:

Motivation – I guess that’s what separates thinkers and dreamers from actors and doers … The willingness to really get out there and work hard, often under conditions of little short-term payoff and lots of uncertainty, seems to be one of the hallmarks. hallmarks of successful entrepreneurs. .

Skills: We could start a completely separate thread on this, what are the key skills that make a successful entrepreneur, certainly a combination of hard and soft skills.

Ideas – Possibly these must be clearly rooted in a market need to be valid, although there are some businesses that seem to be product-driven rather than market-driven … fashion, any Apple product, Rubik’s Cube …

Resources: Entrepreneurs are a bit paralyzed until they get resources to back them up. I suppose we automatically think of cash here, but skills, knowledge, and connections can make a big difference.

… but you also need to think about how these factors interact: a good idea has limited value, without the motivation and resources to turn it into a business and this is where the final components of the MAIR model come into play: Planning and Organization! Arguably, this is the true work of the entrepreneur. Bringing all the factors together to create something that didn’t exist before and that can change the world!

As far as I know, the academic origins of this model are in Gibb and Ritchie (1982), but I have seen references to it dating back to the 1970s, where it was apparently in use at the University of California Business School. Durham. It’s been featured in multiple articles since then, but I’m surprised it hasn’t gained more traction.

In comparison, think of SWOT analysis: it provides a simple mnemonic and recognized structure for analyzing a situation. And, despite its many shortcomings (the subject of a future article!), It has gained widespread use. So why hasn’t the MAIR model accomplished the same? By the way, one of the other advantages is its adaptability. In a very interesting article by Pat Richardson et al (The Challenges of Small Business Growth: Ideas from Women Entrepreneurs in Africa, 2004), the authors integrate MAIR with the Sustainable Livelihoods model to create a growth framework for businesses. women entrepreneurs in Africa.

An important point of this model is that it provides the ingredients, but not the recipe for success. That may seem like a limitation, but my opinion is that there is no universal recipe for business success – that’s the job of the individual entrepreneur!

I hope you find this model interesting or useful. I’d be happy to hear other views and perspectives on this. I know some people think that entrepreneurs look a bit like anarchists and are not willing to follow the rules … I think I can see that too!

Best wishes,

Mark taylor

Eriskay Associates.

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